53 Minutes with Marissa Mayer [Video]

Number 32 on Forbes’ list of the 100 most powerful women, Marissa Mayer is a shining example of what hard work, independence and a little bit of risk-taking can get you. In this interview with Laura Sydell of NPR, Mayer details her rise to power, from her first days at a small startup called Google, which she left in July 2012 to take on the mantle of President and CEO at search competitor Yahoo!. Mayer also discusses some of the projects and concepts she has worked on, including Local Searches and something she calls “contextual discovery.” Mayer reveals the next steps toward personalizing information through context and encourages everyone to be excited for what is on the technological horizon.

When addressing the future of computer science professionals, Mayer encourages people to look past traditional gender stereotypes and to focus on generating interest in the practical uses of computer knowledge instead. She emphasizes that the field is still expanding and there is an increasing need for computer science students in general, and not specifically for just more female students. In this interview, Mayer also offers a few suggestions to increase enthusiasm for the subject among all students – especially those in high school. For those who have already committed their professional lives to the world of startups and technology, Mayer has plenty of tips, and divulges her own secret for balancing work and personal life for herself and for her staff as well.

Mayer’s interview is full of valuable insights into what has made her such a key player in the technology world, but perhaps her most inspiring advice applies to both one’s business and personal life: be true to yourself and success will follow.